


Day 324

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [324]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27650287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [324]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 324

Anders had been working in his clinic when a man came in claiming to have broken his wrist working at the docs. The man rolled up his sleeve for Anders to inspect but there were no signs of a break. Nothing was swollen or even bruised. The arm looked perfectly normal. 

“Thank you,” the man said. “You’re healing powers are everything they said.” He opened his fist and dropped a scrap of parchment into Anders’s lap. Anders had done enough clandestine activity, even before joining the Wardens to know not to acknowledge what had just happened until after the man had gone.

He opened the parchment revealing only a time and place. Anders changed into his most nondescript robes and went to the Gallows for the meeting. It was always a risk for him to go so close to the heart of the templar stronghold, but it was far more dangerous for mages to sneak out of the Gallows so he was more than happy to assume that risk himself. Even if it made Justice harder to control.

There were a few areas that were partially hidden from view of the templars. Anders wondered sometimes why these places were allowed to continue to exist but since they didn’t offer any path to escape, it was possible the templars just didn’t care. After all they also had things they wanted to hide from prying eyes. He went to the appointed spot and saw who he hoped was the one who sent him the letter.

From the build it was an elf. Anders had never seen an elven templar before so he relaxed his guard enough to let himself be seen.

“I received a message to meet here,” he said. “If you are a victim of the templars know that I am your ally. I will bring you justice if I can.”

“I understand your sentiment,” she said. At least Anders assumed from the voice it was a woman. “But I am here seeking a Warden.”

All the peace Anders had felt a moment ago vanished. Were the Wardens hunting him down? He had met Stroud briefly during the Qunari attack and he had expressed no interest in bringing him back into the order. Had something changed?

Anders drew close to the woman and got a good look under her hood. The brand of a tranquil was emblazoned in her forehead.

“Not again,” he whispered.

This is a trap! The templars have tempted you here as they did with Karl. Individuals are weak before the might of the oppressor. We need all mages to rise up or the templars will crush them one by one.

“Add her to the long list of people we’ve failed,” Anders said. Justice burned at that.

There is but one way we can help her now.

“I know,” he said to himself. “I’m sorry,” he said to the tranquil. “I will offer you what piece I can.” He drew his knife from his belt. Magic would draw too much attention but he could make her end quick.

“Death is not the peace I seek Warden,” she said, backing up from the blade.

“If you still had your mind you would,” Anders replied. He reached to grab her but she moved back faster than he had ever seen a tranquil react before.

“Apostate!” she cried. “I require assistance.” Anders hesitated. The only way out was back through the Gallows in plain view of the templars, but if he stayed here, they would find him and he would be cornered.

Justice flared, lending his power to Anders and they ran through the courtyard. Several templars were already on their way, blades drawn. Anders threw up a wall of ice to slow them down and called down a rain of fire to burn any that crossed the barrier. They tried to suppress his magic but there were no templars of exceptional strength here and Justice overpowered them easily. 

In the confusion he managed to reach the edge of the water. Anders grabbed the barrel that looked the heaviest and leapt into the harbor sending out a wave of force around him. The force created a pocket of air around him and he froze the water beyond that. He ended up encased in a hollow sheet of ice. 

Thankfully the barrel was heavy enough to drag the entire thing down to the bottom of the sea. To the eyes of the templars, a crazed apostate had torn through the Gallows and then drowned in the harbor. He had enough air to last a few hours, then he could pop out on the far side of the harbor and slink back to his hideout… which he would have to abandon for a few days at least. If the tranquil knew where to send that letter then so did the templars.

We must inspire the mages to rise up as one, Justice insisted. Only then will they achieve victory over their oppressors. Trapped at the bottom of the sea, Anders could do little than let his thoughts wander to dark places.


End file.
